Don Yeomans - Anticipation

Don Yeomans is a renowned Haida artist who began his artistic career in the 1970s after being introduced to Northwest Coast art by late artist Freda Diesing. In 1976, he studied at Langara College in the Fine Arts program, then quickly found an apprenticeship under accomplished Haida artist Robert Davidson, with whom he helped produce four totem poles for the Charles Edenshaw Memorial Longhouse in Masset, BC. In the 1980s, Don completed a two-year apprenticeship with celebrated Gitksan artist Phil Janzé, learning engraving, chasing, casting, and repoussé techniques. Don has gone on to produce countless incredible works which have netted him acclaim as one of the most accomplished Haida artists working today.

This work, Anticipation, is a large red cedar panel created in 1988 which depicts a Raven figure giving birth to a human child. This panel was created shortly before the birth of Don's children, artists Kyran and Crystal Yeomans. Don included a subtle red question mark tracing the right side of the Raven's womb with its dot in the baby's eye, as at the time of carving, he didn't know if his coming child would be a boy or a girl.

Shortly after carving his Anticipation panel, Don created a limited run of Anticipation prints with a similar yet slightly different design.